What is it?

Burrata (boor-rah-tah), a fresh mozzarella-like cheese from the Italian region of Puglia, is prized for its rich milky flavor and its two textures: a soft, elastic, spongy outer layer wrapped around a creamy, oozy interior. Burrata is delicious paired with crusty bread and flavorful ingredients like prosciutto, tomatoes, olives, nuts, and herbs.

Some say burrata (the name derives fromburro, butter in Italian) was first created as a means to use up leftover scraps of mozzarella cheese. The cheese makers would add cream to the scraps and wrap them in a pouch made from a larger piece of mozzarella. As with regular mozzarella, burrata was originally made with water buffalo milk but is now more typically made with cow’s milk.

Don’t have it?

You can usually substitute fresh mozzarella, though it won’t have quite the same lush, creamy texture as burrata.

How to choose:

Look for burrata in well-stocked groceries, gourmet markets, and cheese shops.

How to prep:

Burrata’s soft, almost liquid interior can make it a challenge to slice; use a serrated knife for the best results.

How to store:

Highly perishable, burrata should be eaten within 24 hours of purchase and is considered past its prime after about 48 hours.

Recipes

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  Antipasto Salad

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  Caprese Salad 2.0

  This riff on the classic tomato-mozzarella-basil combo swaps in luscious burrata for the cheese, to outstanding effect.

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  Mango, Tomato, and Burrata Salad

  这个沙拉味道充满对比,从the sweet tomato and mango to the peppery, bitter arugula to the creamy burrata.

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  Burrata and Pea Salad with Pine Nuts and Basil

  This salad looks like springtime on a plate and tastes like it, too. Each bite includes something a little different: crisp, refreshing cucumber; crunchy nuts; creamy cheese; bright herbs; and,…

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  Burrata with Morels and Fava Beans

  A superb first course for a spring dinner party, this recipe pairs two harbingers of the season, tender favas and earthy morels, with rich, creamy burrata cheese.

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  Lemony Fennel Salad with Burrata

  In this light first-course salad, creamy, rich burrata is balanced but the crunch and tang of thinly sliced fennel and lemon.

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  Broccolini and Burrata Crostini

  Tender broccolini meets mellow, creamy burrata in this easy hors d'oeuvre.

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  Pizza with Lemon and Burrata

  Creamy cheese and paper-thin slices of lemon make an incredible bite of pizza; the tang of the fruit marries well with the mellow cheese. Use a large serrated bread knife…

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  Grilled Tomatoes with Burrata and Parsley Salad

  A toasted bread-and-parsley salad adds crunch and bright, fresh flavor to this riff on Caprese salad. Serve with simple grilled steak or pork chops for an easy summer meal.

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  Recipe

  Ramp Pesto on Toast with Burrata and Peppadews

  Garlicky spring ramps (wild leeks) make an insanely delicious pesto, an idea I first learned about from my friend, New York chef Matt Weingarten. Here, I use lightly roasted pistachios…